2019 Official Forum Member Review-Ping G410 Driver

[tony@CIC]

8 minutes ago, jlukes said:

Well tomorrow will be a fun day.  I will be going to Club Champion to get some numbers on the G410 Plus, test out the different adjustable positions, and even try to new shafts to see how Ping's proprietary shaft holds up to the big boys.

The best part about it?  I will have a writeup in this thread about my experience - no more waiting until Stage 2 !

Testing other shafts against the Ping shafts - can't wait to see the data. 

[JohnSmalls]

Nice work guys.  This is just making me want to go hit the course today even more.  Bonus credit for @PING Apologist #9 for the comic inspired cards.  This is going to be a great test!

[MattF]

1 hour ago, MaxEntropy said:

Hmmm.

@MattF, we should plan a trip!

You know I'm down for a road trip!

[tony@CIC]

2 hours ago, MattF said:

You know I'm down for a road trip!

Oh and being that my daughter and SIL live in Tasmania, we can understand Aussie, mate! 

[PING Apologist #9]

6 hours ago, JohnSmalls said:

Nice work guys.  This is just making me want to go hit the course today even more.  Bonus credit for @PING Apologist #9 for the comic inspired cards.  This is going to be a great test!

What? Your clubs don't speak to you..? I hear.......      Voices.......

[romeopapazulu]

Well tomorrow will be a fun day.  I will be going to Club Champion to get some numbers on the G410 Plus, test out the different adjustable positions, and even try to new shafts to see how Ping's proprietary shaft holds up to the big boys.
The best part about it?  I will have a writeup in this thread about my experience - no more waiting until Stage 2 !

Interesting...I have tried a few others against the Ping Tour shaft and it wins out every time. I think it was a $30 up charge, so that was a bonus. Does that come as a stock option on the 410's?

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[null]

17 minutes ago, romeopapazulu said:

Interesting...I have tried a few others against the Ping Tour shaft and it wins out every time. I think it was a $30 up charge, so that was a bonus. Does that come as a stock option on the 410's?

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Yes, Ping Tour 65 and 75 are stock options 

[Rickp]

Great start guys. Looking forward to your progress.


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[PAgolfer2017]

Great write ups! This is one u got a close eye on. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on the 410!


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[STUDque]

On 4/3/2019 at 12:59 AM, jlukes said:

 I am no more accurate with my fairway wood or hybrid, so there is no reason for me to sacrifice distance by laying up off the tee unless a hole absolutely calls for a lay up.

Gotta say, this was a very profound statement. I'm long-ish too, but I've been struggling to find my identity on the course. Too often, I pull Iron, Hybrid, 3 Wood, ANYTHING BUT DRIVER trying to out think the course and play to the corners instead of over them. 

Since I'm reviewing a driver anyway, I forced myself out of my comfort zone yesterday and hit driver 12 times. Wouldn't you know it, I'm in no more trouble than when I play the finesse game, plus I'm way closer to the hole if I miss. The game is much easier (and more fun) with shorter second shots. 

 

......plus, it doesn't hurt that the G410 Plus is a straight beast.

 

 

Here's some highlights:

 

 

 

Edit: I guess I should point out that my ball flight is not a draw. So those shots where I cut dogleg left carried a bunch of risk with the tree lines.  

[Shankster]

Regular old STUDque Watson on our hands.

[MattF]

307??? Can you send me some of the HGH you're taking please? 

[JonMUSC08]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

 

Edit: I guess I should point out that my ball flight is not a draw. So those shots where I cut dogleg left carried a bunch of risk with the tree lines.  

324! Whoa! Wind behind ya on that one??? haha Thats beast mode for sure. Whats your swing speed?

[STUDque]

46 minutes ago, JonMUSC08 said:

324! Whoa! Wind behind ya on that one??? haha Thats beast mode for sure. Whats your swing speed?

The wind was sideways, I think, but the hole goes massively downhill right after the bunker. Just have to catch the slope right for the extra roll. SS hovers between 113-115. Solid contact is always my struggle. 

[JonMUSC08]

33 minutes ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

The wind was sideways, I think, but the hole goes massively downhill right after the bunker. Just have to catch the slope right for the extra roll. SS hovers between 113-115. Solid contact is always my struggle. 

Noticed you have the Tensei shaft, I have it in the Blue 65 for my new TM M6. Great shaft. I guess any shaft can be good though if it fits your swing. Also, i am getting to love the Arccos system as well. Great for understanding tendencies.

[Nunfa0]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

Gotta say, this was a very profound statement. I'm long-ish too, but I've been struggling to find my identity on the course. Too often, I pull Iron, Hybrid, 3 Wood, ANYTHING BUT DRIVER trying to out think the course and play to the corners instead of over them. 

Since I'm reviewing a driver anyway, I forced myself out of my comfort zone yesterday and hit driver 12 times. Wouldn't you know it, I'm in no more trouble than when I play the finesse game, plus I'm way closer to the hole if I miss. The game is much easier (and more fun) with shorter second shots. 

 

......plus, it doesn't hurt that the G410 Plus is a straight beast.

 

 

Here's some highlights:

 

 

 

Edit: I guess I should point out that my ball flight is not a draw. So those shots where I cut dogleg left carried a bunch of risk with the tree lines.  

Very nice Stud, you definitely had the long ball going that day

[golfinnut]

Nice reviews so far guys.  I'm interested to see any stats from those of you that may have played the G400 Max vs nowt the 410.  

I have the Max sitting in the Nut Cave that's probably going to go to the marketplace really soon.  Especially if I see considerable gains by you guys.  @GolfSpy STUDque you are absolutely killing it.  Doubt that's going to be out of your bag very soon.  Especially since you sold the TS2 so quickly. 

[STUDque]

1 minute ago, golfinnut said:

@GolfSpy STUDque you are absolutely killing it.  Doubt that's going to be out of your bag very soon.  Especially since you sold the TS2 so quickly

I think you're thinking of @jlukes. I never had a TS2. 

[golfinnut]

18 minutes ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

I think you're thinking of @jlukes. I never had a TS2. 

Yep my bad.  That's what I get for speed reading & missing it.  

[THEZIPR23]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

 

Since I'm reviewing a driver anyway, I forced myself out of my comfort zone yesterday and hit driver 12 times. Wouldn't you know it, I'm in no more trouble than when I play the finesse game, plus I'm way closer to the hole if I miss. The game is much easier (and more fun) with shorter second shots. 

 

@jlukes is absolutely correct. The course I started playing on has very narrow tree lined fairways, but they are no wider at 150, 200 or 300 yards. So my thought was always if I was going to be in the trees I might as well be long in the trees. It has been nice to see the strokes gained support this thought. There are times to play "safe" but if it doesn't really offer more room for error you are really only costing yourself strokes. My home course has a 310 par 4. 2 bunkers left and 1 bunker left all at about 200 yards. No width change on the whole hole. One guy I play with takes a club off that tee that brings the bunkers into play. He is playing what he thinks is safe but only bringing in trouble. Just send it!

[fixyurdivot]

On 4/2/2019 at 10:59 PM, jlukes said:

Ping G410 Plus Driver - Stage 1 Review - jlukes

Well it has been almost 2 whole years since I participated in official MGS forum testing and I have to admit, it feels great to be back in the fold!  I have previously tested the Sun Mountain 3.5LS Stand Bag (which I still use), Evnroll ER2 putter (which I am taking to my grave with me), and Mizuno JPX 900 Tour irons (the only reason I am not still gaming these is that through fitness and lessons I increased my swing speed to the point where I needed to change shafts).  What you should notice is that I do not apply to test everything and anything, and when I do apply to test something, it is a product that I am sincerely interested in doing a thorough long-term review for.

I am going to use some of the background from previous forum reviews because a lot of that information hasn’t changed! My name is Joe and I am from Central NJ.  I have been playing golf for about 23 years (since I was 12) and I am about a 4.1 handicap at the moment.  I started hitting balls when I was much younger - my grandfather cut down an old 9 iron and 5 wood and gave them to me so I could hit balls in my backyard.  I remember my first 9 holes being when I was about 11 years old - I shot 63 with my dad.  I started playing in County tournaments when I was about 13 years old and played varsity golf in High School.  My first job when I was at the local driving range/mini golf, and all through High School I worked at golf course taking care of the carts, running bags, and eventually became the starter.  I have always enjoyed being around the game of golf in any capacity and I have found that it is truly a game for life.  My son is just over 2 and he is already addicted to the game.  I hope that he continues to see what a fun game this is and it becomes something we can bond over for years to come.

 

When it comes to my golf game, I would say I have quite a few strengths.  I am a long hitter (Carry my driver > 270 yards), I have an okay wedge game, and I am a good putter.  Time is my enemy when it comes to golf; not being able to practice and play as much as I’d like (more than once a week or so) prevents me from being consistent.  I have rounds where I am pounding it off the tee, but I can’t hit a GIR, and then I have rounds where I am a little wonky off the tee, but my short game saves me.  Everything finally came together for me in November 2016 when I shot a personal best of -1 71, beating my previous best of +2 74.  I am the type of golfer that can be extremely competitive, but I also love fun, no-pressure rounds with my buddies.  A lot of the guys I golf with are not as good as me, but I do not care in the least.  I enjoy playing with all skill levels and I have no problem giving advice and helping someone with their game if asked (and only if asked).  I enjoy walking the course as much as possible and nothing frustrates me more than long rounds.  I see no reason why an average round should take over 4 hours, no matter what the golfers’ skill levels are.  

If you want to know a bit more about my swing, I have a swing overhaul thread I have been chronicling here:  

 

It has been an interesting spring as I work to keep the momentum up from my winter lesson programs and I will update that thread with updates on my swing changes as the season goes on.  But for the sake of this review, you should know that my driver swing speed is around 113-116 MPH and I play a bit of a draw.  I have an upwards angle of attack and my miss is primarily a hook.  Here is a video of my driver swing from the end of February 

 

 

For me, driver is my weapon.  I play aggressive off the tee because if there is anything that modern analytics and “strokes gained” has taught us, it is that distance is king and that taking advantage of my ability to hit it long is key to me scoring low.  I pull driver every opportunity I have.  I am no more accurate with my fairway wood or hybrid, so there is no reason for me to sacrifice distance by laying up off the tee unless a hole absolutely calls for a lay up.  I try to get on or close to all Par 5s in two, and I try to get myself as close as possible on all Par 4s so that I can be hitting a wedge into the green if the yardage dictates.

I wasn’t always a great driver of the ball.  I used to have quite a negative attack angle which resulted in low launch and high spin.  No amount of head and shaft changes (much to my dismay) could correct a bad attack angle, so in 2014 I went through a swing change and learned to hit up on my driver.  Once I got a positive angle of attack locked in, I noticed I gained 15+ yards of carry on my drives!  

I have been through quite a few drivers since high school - some were great, others were mistakes (due to lack of knowledge about fitting and purchasing on a whim)

TaylorMade 320
TaylorMade r5
TaylorMade r11
TaylorMade RBZ Tour
Cobra Amp Cell
Callaway Big Bertha Alpha (fitted)
Cobra Bio Cell+
Srixon 545
TaylorMade M1 (fitted) 
TaylorMade M2 (2017) (fitted)
Cobra F8+ (fitted)
Titleist TS2 (fitted)

When the Ping 410 Plus testing was unveiled, I knew it was a testing that I wanted to put my name in the hat for.  Ping received such outstanding reviews on their G400 line and I knew that that the G410 had to be something special in order to follow the G400.  With that being said, I have never gamed a Ping club before.  I do have a few old Ping putters, but I never really even given an extensive look to Ping Metalwoods and Irons.  Thankfully, I was selected for this great testing opportunity and I get to see what Ping is all about!

There are a number of selling points/claims that I will be keeping an eye on throughout testing:

Turbulators - do they really increase swing speed?

Adjustability - Well the G410 Plus is the most adjustable driver Ping has ever made.  Does the weight track (3 fixed positions) actually work?

Hosel Adjustment -  The G410 Plus features a brand new adjustable hosel from Ping, one that now includes “flat” settings.  Do they make a difference?

I will put these three elements, as well as the general performance of the G410 Plus to the test over the coming months with the hope of providing the best information for the MGS forum.

At the time of being selected for this review, I was gaming a Titleist TS2 driver that I was fit for at Club Champion.  I truly believe that fitting is necessary to maximize what a golf club can do for a player.  I chose the TS2 during my fitting because it provided me with the best combination of distance and accuracy.  The Cobra F9 and Epic Flash SZ were longer, but I had trouble with both distance and lateral dispersions.  

When I was selected for G410+ testing, I immediately went to my local range, who happens to be a Top 100 Ping fitter, and got a basic fitting for the G410+.  Unlike other OEMs, Ping does not offer a wide selection of no-upcharge shaft options.  The only two shaft options that were really even under consideration for me were the Evenflow Black and the Ping Tour.  However, I know from past fittings that I do not get along with the Evenflow series, so it came down to the Ping Tour.  We set up the G410+ in a 9-degree head a Ping Tour 65X shaft and it was clear right away that it was the combination I would submit to Ping for testing. I asked Ping that it play 45" at a D3 swing weight.  After I received my club I tested the swing weight and length at a shop and wasn't surprised to see Ping delivered on the nose.  

 

During the testing period I will be testing the G410 on the range, on the course, and on launch monitors.  While I will be touching on how the club fits me, I will try to remain focused on validating the performance claims from Ping to see if the G410 stacks up with the rest of the drivers on the market.  I want my review to be as interactive as possible, so please ask me as many questions on this testing thread and I will attempt to address them all.  You won’t have to wait for my Stage 2 to head how things are going.  All testers will be actively participating in the thread to provide updates as we go - so we can continue the conversation from day to day.

So I mentioned that the TS2 was my gamer going into this testing, but if you are a regular on the forum, you would have noticed that as of this Stage 1 (April 3rd), I have sold my TS2.  Without divulging too much right now, my 3 range sessions and 2 rounds were enough for me to know that the G410 Plus was going to be better for me going forward.  Furthermore, I believe a good testing write-up should be about the individual club in the test and not about a club going head to head with another club.

So does the Ping G410 Plus carry the torch that was lit by the G400 series?  Early results are positive and I look forward to sharing the rest of my thoughts with the MGS community as the testing progresses.

Am I the only one who thinks @jlukesbears a striking resemblance to Rory McIlroy in his swing video clip? 

[PMookie]

Am I the only one who thinks [mention=56939]jlukes[/mention]bears a striking resemblance to Rory McIlroy in his swing video clip? 

In what way?


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[edingc]

2 hours ago, THEZIPR23 said:

@jlukes is absolutely correct. The course I started playing on has very narrow tree lined fairways, but they are no wider at 150, 200 or 300 yards. So my thought was always if I was going to be in the trees I might as well be long in the trees. It has been nice to see the strokes gained support this thought. There are times to play "safe" but if it doesn't really offer more room for error you are really only costing yourself strokes. My home course has a 310 par 4. 2 bunkers left and 1 bunker left all at about 200 yards. No width change on the whole hole. One guy I play with takes a club off that tee that brings the bunkers into play. He is playing what he thinks is safe but only bringing in trouble. Just send it!

I've been thinking about this as I'm about to play my second round with the Epic Flash this weekend...

[STUDque]

43 minutes ago, edingc said:

I've been thinking about this as I'm about to play my second round with the Epic Flash this weekend...

Hey! Get out of our thread talking about that other driver!

Just kidding of course

 

 

How about a test-v-test drive off once you guys go live??? 

You flash boys are going DOWN!

[THEZIPR23]

3 minutes ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

Hey! Get out of our thread talking about that other driver!

Just kidding of course

 

 

How about a test-v-test drive off once you guys go live??? 

You flash boys are going DOWN!

BRING IT!

[fixyurdivot]

51 minutes ago, PMookie said:

In what way?


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Just at quick glance and from that profile, he sort of looks like Rory.  

[yungkory]

9 hours ago, GolfSpy STUDque said:

Gotta say, this was a very profound statement. I'm long-ish too, but I've been struggling to find my identity on the course. Too often, I pull Iron, Hybrid, 3 Wood, ANYTHING BUT DRIVER trying to out think the course and play to the corners instead of over them. 

Since I'm reviewing a driver anyway, I forced myself out of my comfort zone yesterday and hit driver 12 times. Wouldn't you know it, I'm in no more trouble than when I play the finesse game, plus I'm way closer to the hole if I miss. The game is much easier (and more fun) with shorter second shots. 

 

......plus, it doesn't hurt that the G410 Plus is a straight beast.

 

 

Here's some highlights:

 

 

 

Edit: I guess I should point out that my ball flight is not a draw. So those shots where I cut dogleg left carried a bunch of risk with the tree lines.  

You should've left that edit out, LOL.

307 and 324?! WHO IS THIS MAN?

[tony@CIC]

You should've left that edit out, LOL.
307 and 324?! WHO IS THIS MAN?

We'll have to change his name to super stud!


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[sirchunksalot]

Great start guys, after reading your stage one's you've all caused me to go back and edit, edit, and edit some more on my Epic Flash review. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how Ping has improved over the G400 line, I just don't see how it's possible. They're long, forgiving, and the sound and feel are perfect.

Hey! Get out of our thread talking about that other driver!
Just kidding of course
 
 
How about a test-v-test drive off once you guys go live??? 
You flash boys are going DOWN!

Now, about this....
Epic Flash:
Jailbreak
A.I.
IT'S ON!

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[null]

April 5th - Shaft Testing at Club Champion

The only other non-upcharge option Ping had to offer was the Evenflow Black and I know after demoing the shaft multiple times that nothing in the Evenflow range agrees with my swing.  Evenflow is designed for someone with a smooth tempo and that is not me, so it was pretty much already decided going into my fitting for testing that the Ping Tour was going to be the shaft I was going to get.

On Friday I spent the morning at Club Champion where I was able to get some numbers with my new setup, as well us test some aftermarket shafts to see how they faired in the G410 Plus compared to the Ping Tour shaft.  I had the flu and a bad cold for most of March so my speed and strength were down a bit, but I went to the range a few times prior to going to Club Champion and I felt that my swing was in a good enough place for me to do some comparisons.  On the day I was swinging around 110MPH when my usual speed is 112-115MPH.

I got to test all of the fun new shafts.  Fujikura Ventus, Speeder TR and Pro 2.0.  Tested the Fuji Atmos Black (which I was fit into with the TS2 head 2 months ago.  I also tried the new Diamana DF+, VA Raijin, Accra RPG and a few others.  Of all of these shafts, the Fujikura Ventus felt the best by far, but it really didn't give me any performance benefits over the Ping Tour shaft.  Kudos to Ping on putting together a great shaft -  our own @Tony Covey MGS informed me on twitter that the Ping Tour shaft has a similar profile to the Aldila Tour Green which is a solid low launch/low spin shaft that I gamed before in a hybrid. I was prepared to go home happy as a clam knowing that I had the best shaft in the G410 Plus that was available.  That was, until, my buddy popped the new Accra TZ5 in the head.  (Once I found the right shaft, I altered every two shots between the Ping Tour and the Accra to get a sample of data).

My longest hits were almost equal - but the Accra TZ5 definitely gave me about 4-6 yards carry more on my longest hits.

Overall I averaged 261 yards of carry with the Ping Tour shaft (and had similar numbers with the Fujikura Ventus).  With the Accra TZ5 those numbers jumped to 271.  10 Yards of carry is huge.  I had a few touch 280+ carry!  I was swinging about 1MPH faster with the Accra (just fits better for me), but the ball speeds with the Accra were consistently in the low to mid 160s, while my ballspeed with the Ping Tour Shaft bounced from the high 150s and every once in awhile touched 160 or so.  Unfortunately the fitting was on Trackman, so I didn't have any strike location data, but based on what I was feeling my strike point with the Accra was much more consistent than with the Ping Tour shaft.  

Does this mean the Ping Tour shaft is lower quality?  Absolutely NOT!  It held it's ground with a number of $300+ shafts.  The truth of the matter is that there is just another shaft that meshes better with my swing.  I am sure the Ping Tour shaft will fit a ton of golfers!  And if I didn't have a little money saved up on my paypal account to buy the Accra, I would have absolutely no issues gaming the G410 driver with the Ping Tour shaft.

Needless to say, I have an Accra TZ5 65 M5 with Ping adapter on the way.  Hoping to have it in time for Masters weekend!

Let me know if you have any questions!